Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-07-13
Wednesday. Joiy IS. 1857.
CLEVELAND COwED.

- w
Conscience has made q coward of
the President-conscience and politi-
cal ambition. His letter to Mayor
Francis, giving his reasons for recon.
sidering his acceptance of the latter's
invitation to him 10 visit st. Louis
during the coming Grand Army en-
campment, 10 o curious document. 1t
was, perhaps, incumbent on the Pres
ident to make some public explana.
ton of his change Of purpose-though
silence 10 lever 50 truly golden as
when one is painfully laboring to
make present conduct at the cOnse.
qaences Of past blunders. But such
an explanation, to be acceptable,
must have been tr~ansparently candid
and absolutely fair. The letter Of the
President is neither fair or candid. II
IL not fair to throw the responsibility
OF the embarrassing situation which
his presence at st. Louis would create
on the Grand Army of the Republic.
The covert insinuation that to 20 to
st. Louis while the Grand .:Army Of
the Republic was assembled there
would be to expose his name to con.
tumely and his person to outrage from
some Of Its members Is q most astound.
ing miscomprehension of the spirit
that snimates the Grand Army, and q
new insult to q s~ingularly moderate
and self-contained body Of men. If
the President does not know the title
his Office gives him to the respect and
consideration Of every American citi-
zen, 10 recognized by none more
promptly and unreservedly than by
the meu Who once offered their lives
10 make 1t possible for future presi-
dents to rule an undivided repub-
lie, he does not know anything about
the Grand Army Of the Republic,
that's oil. 1t Is probably true that
this blunder, like the grosser stupidity
of the battle flag order, grew out Of his
: dense incapacity to s~ympathize with
or understand the sentiment and atti.
tude Of the men who:fought to preserve
the Uuion. There Ia stupidity hard
or to forgive than ~malevolence, and
the President seems to achieve II
whenever he crosses the path Of the
old soldier.
The conspicuous lack Of candor Ia
the letter lies In the studious omission
of all reference to the real, reason why
his presence in st. Louis would be Of
fensive TO the veterans of the Grand
Army. The President knows II 10 not
the veto OF pension bills, but the On.
beavers 10 return the trophies Of battle
that has made his name an offense In
the nostrils of every old soldier in the
northern states. Hdwas not..bound to
discuss publicly the wretched mess
into which he has gotten himself at
ell. But having determined to dis
cuss it, he was bound to do 30 hon.
estly. He should have faced boldly
the real ground Of offehse between
himself and the Grand Army; justi.
fed his course II he still thought II
right, or frankly admitted himself In
the wrong. II he found no justification
possible. He should have done every
thing be has not done, and left I'M
done nearly everything he has done
In this most unfortunate letter. 1t Ia
verbose where il should be reticent,
silent and evasive: where, II Sit were
written at all. II should have been out
spoken and frank. IL 10 the timid,
trucking letter Of q politician with
the hope Of Office aud ths,fear of voters
constantly before his eyes. The letter
is the strongest proof yet given that
the Presidents whole being is absorb.
ed In the hope and effort TO secure q
second term. II is, at the same time,
the strongest evidence ::of his singular
unfitness for reelection, II be lie going
10 abandon the neutrality-suspicious.
and obstinate reliance upon his own
convictions which has been his saliva
tion hitherto, and shape his course by
motives Of shallow policy TO the evils
Of selfish ambition. Nj. Cleveland
has not the temperament of the politi-
clan. He lacks tact. apprehensive-
ness, sympathy. When he relied for
success and fame on q sturdy and
Straightforward attempt to DO right,
he carried public opinion with him,
and sven his blunders were tolerantly
regarded. Since he has laid aside
principles and taken 10 trucking for
votes. he has piled blunder upon blum
der Of the hardest kind TO live down
OF be forgiven. II takesl an artist to
play the dsmagogne SUCCESSFULLY. and
Mr.. Cleveland. whatsoever his ..merIts,
b not IN srtist.-Pioneer Press.